Chrysanthemum plant named Dawn

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct plant of Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., named Dawn, particularly characterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of round pompon capitulum form; formal decorative capitulum type; yellow orange ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 55 to 65 mm. at maturity; uniform eight week flowering response; medium plant height when grown single stem; 12 to 18 cm. peduncles on open, normally terminal sprays; and 13 DEG C. minimum temperature tolerance for initiation and development of flowering buds.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., named Dawn.

Dawn is a product of a planned sport induction program which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars that would expand the color range of high merit seedlings while retaining their other original traits.

Dawn was discovered and selected by William E. Duffett on Dec. 17, 1980 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. as one flowering plant, a color variant within a flowering block established as rooted cuttings from stock plants which had been exposed as unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of 1800 rads. The irradiated clone was an unnamed seedling originated by the present inventor and identified as 79827002, an orange decorative. The parents of the immediate parent were similarly unnamed seedlings originated by the present inventor.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Dawn was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in May 1981 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. by a technician working under formulations established and supervised by William E. Duffett.

Horticultural examination of selected units initiated August 1981 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Dawn are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Dawn has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length. The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif. and Leamington, Ontario, Canada under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of Dawn, which in combination distinguish this chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

(1) Round pompon capitulum form.

(2) Formal decorative capitulum type.

(3) Yellow orange ray floret color.

(4) Diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 55 to 65 mm. at maturity.

(5) Uniform eight week photoperiodic flowering response to short days.

(6) Medium peduncle length, ranging from 12 to 18 cm.

(7) Medium plant height, requiring 2 to 3 long day weeks prior to short days to attain a flower plant height of 80 to 90 cm. for April through October flowerings with single stem procedure.

(8) Low temperature tolerance of 13° C. for initiation and development when grown in single stem cut spray programs with a continuous dark period of 13 hours.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence and leaf characteristics of Dawn with the colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type. Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Dawn grown as a single stem cut spray. Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph of three views of the inflorescence of Dawn. Sheet 3 is a black and white photograph showing the leaves of Dawn at three stages of development (mature, intermediate and immature).

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to Dawn is Flame Belair, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,353.

Reference is made to attached Chart A which compares certain characteristics of Dawn to those same characteristics of Flame Belair.

In comparison to Flame Belair, Dawn has slightly lighter inflorescence color, more formal form, smaller diameter across face of capitulum, shorter peduncle length, shorter plant height, more rapid response to controlled short days and more uniform tolerance of 13° C. initiation and development temperatures.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined between 9:00 and 9:30 A.M. on Sept. 20, 1983 under 150 foot-candle light intensity at Salinas, Calif.

Classification:

Botanical.--Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat. cv Dawn.

Commercial.--Decorative spray cut mum.

I. Inflorescence:

A. Capitulum.--Form: Round pompon. Type: Formal decorative. Diameter Across Face: 55 to 65 mm.

B. Corolla of ray florets.--Color (General Tonality From A Distance of Three Meters): Yellow orange. Color (abaxial): 24A-B oxidizing to 21A-B. Color (adaxial): 13A oxidizing to 13B-C. Shape: Oblong with rounded tip.

C. Corolla of disc florets.--Color (mature): 14B. Color (immature): 1A.

D. Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Present disc florets only; scant pollen. Gynoecium: Present both ray and disc florets.

II. Plant:

A. General appearance.--Height: Medium; 65 to 75 cm., as a single stem flowering plant from a rooted cutting, with no long days for April through October flowerings and maintaining a minimum nightly 13 hour continuous dark period.

B. Foliage.--Color (abaxial): 147A. Color (adaxial): 147B. Shape: Deeply lobed and moderately serrated.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                         COMPARISON OF DAWN AND FLAME BELAIR                                            ______________________________________                                                                              DIAM-                                                        CAPIT-            ETER                                                         ULUM              ACROSS                                             RAY       FORM      SPRAY   FACE OF                                            FLORET    AND       FOR-    CAPIT-                                    CULTIVAR COLOR     TYPE      MATION  ULUM                                      ______________________________________                                         DAWN     YELLOW    ROUND     12 to   55 to 65 mm.                                       ORANGE    POMPON    18 cm.                                                               FORMAL    PEDUN-                                                               DECORA-   CLES                                                                 TIVE                                                        FLAME    ORANGE    FLAT      15 to   75 to 90 mm.                              BELAIR             DEORA-    22 cm.                                                               TIVE      PEDUN-                                                                         CLES                                              ______________________________________                                                             FLOWERING                                                           PLANT      RESPONSE     TOLERANCE                                     CULTIVAR HEIGHT     PERIOD       OF 13° C.                              ______________________________________                                         DAWN     65 to      8 WEEKS      GOOD                                                   75 mm.                  UNIFORM                                       FLAME    80 to      9 WEEKS      POOR                                          BELAIR   90 cm.                  UNEVEN                                        ______________________________________                                         COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN AS SINGLE                                     STEM SPRAY CUT MUMS WITH NO LONG DAYS IN                                       SALINAS, CALIFORNIA                                                            ______________________________________                                     

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct plant of Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., named Dawn, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of round pompon capitulum form; formal decorative capitulum type; yellow orange ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 55 to 65 mm. at maturity; uniform eight week flowering response; medium plant height when grown single stem; 12 to 18 cm. peduncles on open, normally terminal sprays; and 13° C. minimum temperature tolerance for initiation and development of flowering buds. 